1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vending machine for vending articles, most notably beverage containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vending machine having a cabinet with a plurality of vertically spaced shelves, and an elevator for receiving a packaged beverage from a shelf and for delivering the packaged beverage to a deliver port in a front face of the cabinet.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Various vending machines are known which dispense articles from shelves or storage bins. Conventionally, the dispensed articles fall, under the influence of gravity, away from the shelf or storage bin. A chute is typically located in the path of the falling article and directs the falling article to a discharge port located beneath the shelves or storage bins.
Such conventional vending machines do not fully utilize the interior space of the vending machine. Since gravity is used to deliver the article to the discharge port, all of the shelves or storage bins must be located above the discharge port. The space adjacent and beneath the discharge port cannot be used to store vendable articles. Therefore, the discharge port is typically located in the lower portion of the vending machine. Having the discharge port located in the lower portion of the vending machine creates an inconvenience to customers, since the customers must bend over to pick up the vended article.
Some vending machines have been designed to avoid these problems. For example, one type provides an elevator within a vending machine. The elevator delivers articles from storage areas to a discharge port which is located at a convenient height. However, this vending machine cannot be easily adjusted to vend different size products, and the shelves of the vending machine are hard to load, especially the upper shelves. Further this vending machine is relatively complicated, expensive to manufacture and requires frequent maintenance.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a vending machine which can more fully utilize the space inside the vending machine for storing vendable articles. The vending machine must deliver the vended articles to a discharge port located at a convenient height. The vending machine must be easily modifiable, so that the vending machine owner can choose to vend articles of various sizes. The vending machine must have an article storage system that allows articles to be easily loaded into any storage area of the vending machine. Further, the vending machine must be simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, and reliable in operation.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a vending machine which will more fully utilize the interior space of the vending machine, and which will vend articles, particularly beverage containers, to a discharge port located at an elevated height convenient to customers.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine in which the vertical spacing between shelves within the machine can be readily adjusted, such that different size beverage containers can be accommodated on the shelves.
Yet another object of the present invention is to easy to load, such that even a top shelf of a tall vending machine (typically seventy-nine inches tall) could be loaded by an average service person without the assistance of a step stool.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vending machine which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, and reliable in operation.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a vending machine which can gently move a vended package from a storage position on a shelf to a delivery port without damaging or agitating the vended package.
These and other objects of the present invention are fulfilled by providing a vending machine comprising a cabinet; at least one support bracket fixed within said cabinet; a shelf slidingly interacting with said at least one support bracket, so that said shelf may be horizontally slid between a first position and a second position; and an auxiliary support which supports said shelf in a tilted position, when said shelf is in said second position.
These and other objects of the present invention are also fulfilled by providing a vending machine comprising: a cabinet; a plurality of support brackets fixed within said cabinet; a plurality of shelves, said plurality of shelves being vertically spaced within said cabinet, each shelf of said plurality of shelves being slidingly interactive with at least one support bracket of said plurality of support brackets, so that each shelf may be horizontally slid between a first position and a second position, wherein said plurality of support brackets are adjustably fixed within said cabinet, so that the vertical spacings between said plurality of shelves can be independently adjusted.
These and other objects of the present invention are further fulfilled by providing a method of servicing a vending machine comprising the steps of: providing a vending machine having a cabinet and a plurality of vertically spaced shelves therein; grasping one shelf of the plurality of the shelves; sliding the one shelf horizontally outward of the cabinet; and tilting the one shelf downward at an angle relative to horizontal.
Furthermore, these and other objects of the present invention are fulfilled by providing a method of servicing a vending machine comprising the steps of: providing a vending machine having a cabinet, a plurality of support brackets within the cabinet, and a plurality of vertically spaced shelves supported by the plurality of support brackets; grasping one shelf of the plurality of the shelves; sliding the one shelf horizontally outward of the cabinet; removing the one shelf from the cabinet; vertically moving the support brackets which supported the removed, one shelf; and inserting the one shelf back into the cabinet.
Furthermore, these and other objects of the present invention are also fulfilled by providing a vending machine comprising: a cabinet; a plurality of shelves vertically spaced within said cabinet; an elevator shaft disposed adjacent said plurality of shelves; a elevator arranged to move vertically within said elevator shaft; guide bars attached to said cabinet, said elevator being guided by said guide bars; and a counterweight attached to said elevator, said counterweight also being guided by said guide bars.
Furthermore, these and other objects of the present invention are further fulfilled by providing a vending machine comprising: a cabinet; a plurality of shelves vertically spaced within said cabinet; a elevator arranged to move vertically within said cabinet; and at least one solenoid attached to said elevator, said at least one solenoid being capable of physically interacting with respective portions of said plurality of shelves.
Moreover, these and other objects of the present invention are fulfilled by providing a method of operation for a vending machine comprising the steps of: providing a vending machine having a cabinet, a plurality of shelves vertically spaced within the cabinet, items disposed on the plurality of shelves, an elevator shaft adjacent the plurality of shelves, and an elevator vertically moveable in the elevator shaft, and at least one actuator attached to the elevator; vertically moving the elevator to a position near one shelf of said plurality of shelves; actuating the at least one actuator; moving the elevator in the area near the one shelf; interacting the at least one actuator with a portion of the one shelf, as the elevator moves adjacent the one shelf; and dispensing an item from the one shelf onto the elevator.
Moreover, these and other objects of the present invention are also fulfilled by providing a vending machine comprising: a cabinet; a plurality of shelves vertically spaced within said cabinet; an elevator shaft disposed adjacent said plurality of shelves; an elevator vertically moveable in said elevator shaft; and a sensor disposed on said elevator for sensing indicators.
Moreover, these and other objects of the present invention are further fulfilled by providing a vending machine comprising: a cabinet; a plurality of shelves vertically spaced within said cabinet; an elevator shaft disposed adjacent said plurality of shelves; an elevator vertically moveable in said elevator shaft; a first sensor disposed on said elevator for sensing first indicators along said elevator shaft; a second sensor disposed on said elevator for sensing a second indicator attached to one shelf of said plurality of shelves.
These and other objects of the present invention are fulfilled by providing a method of operating a vending machine comprising the steps of: providing a vending machine with a cabinet, a plurality of shelves vertically spaced within the cabinet, an elevator shaft adjacent the plurality of shelves, an elevator vertically moveable in the elevator shaft, and a delivery port located along the elevator shaft which communicates to an exterior of the vending machine; locating the elevator near a top of the elevator shaft; accepting payment from a customer of the vending machine; upon accepting payment, moving the elevator to near a midpoint of the elevator shaft; accepting an item selection from the customer of the vending machine; upon accepting the selection, moving the elevator to a shelf containing the selected item; dispensing the selected item onto the elevator; moving the elevator to the delivery port; and dispensing the selected item from the elevator to the delivery port.
These and other objects of the present invention are also fulfilled by providing a method of initializing a vending machine, comprising the steps of: providing a vending machine having a plurality of shelves, an elevator shaft, an elevator vertically moveable in the elevator shaft, a sensor attached to the elevator, and a controller in communication with the sensor; loading items onto the plurality of shelves; programming the controller; passing the elevator along an extent of the elevator shaft; sensing the shelves using the sensor; communicating sensed parameters from the sensor to the controller; and processing the parameters in the controller.
These and other objects of the present invention are further fulfilled by providing an escapement mechanism for a vending machine, said escapement mechanism comprising: a main body; a slide mounted to said main body and capable of reciprocating between a first position and a second position; an actuation extension rotatably mounted to said main body, said actuation extension including a protrusion engaging said slide, wherein said protrusion causes said slide to move relative to said main body when said actuation extension is rotated; and a first gate rotatably mounted to said main body, said first gate including a portion engaging said slide, wherein said portion locks movement of said first gate when said slide is in said first position and allows movement of said first gate when said slide is in said second position.
Furthermore, these and other objects of the present invention are fulfilled by providing a method of modifying an escapement mechanism of a vending machine, said method comprising the steps of: providing a main body, a slide reciprocally mounted to the main body, an actuation extension rotatably mounted to the main body, a first gate rotatably mounted to the main body, and a second gate rotatably mounted to the main body; providing a first guide hole and a second guide hole in the main body, and a guide pin disposed in the first guide hole which serves as an axis of rotation for the second gate; removing the guide pin from the first guide hole; moving the second gate; and inserting the guide pin in the second guide hole, the guide pin again providing the axis of rotation for the second gate.
Furthermore, these and other objects of the present invention are also fulfilled by providing a method of operating an escapement mechanism of a vending machine, said method comprising the steps of: providing a main body; a slide reciprocally mounted to said main body; an actuation extension rotatably mounted to said main body, said actuation extension including a protrusion for engaging said slide; and a first gate rotatably mounted to said main body, said first gate including a portion for engaging said slide; providing an elevator having an actuator attached thereto; locating the elevator near the main body; moving the elevator past the main body; contacting the actuator of the elevator with the actuation extension; rotating the actuation extension relative to the main body; contacting the protrusion of the actuation extension against the slide; moving the slide from a first position to a second position; releasing an engagement between the portion of the first gate and the slide; and rotating the first gate relative to the main body.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.